The Syrian ambassador to Turkey was quoted as saying Tuesday Damascus was ready to re-start indirect peace contacts with Israel via Ankara's mediation.

Israel and Syria held last year a few rounds of indirect talks, but they were halted following Israel's war on Gaza Strip in late 2008.

Meanwhile, in recent days the new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has stressed his government will not withdraw from the occupied Golan Heights for the sake of peace with Syria.

The newly-appointed Syrian ambassador Nidal Kabalan told Turkey's state-run Anatolian Agency that such negative stances do not support peace. "The ball is in Israel's court right now. Whenever Israel thinks it is ready, then we are ready to talk," he said.

"We have chosen peace as a strategic option and we are determined to go down that road so long as the territories under occupation are returned to their owners," the Syrian official conveyed.